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Men's basketball: CU Buffs suffer first loss at hands of Wyoming

Boyle's squad can't recover from early foul trouble

By Ryan Thorburn Buffzone.com

Posted:
12/01/2012 11:05:21 PM MST

Updated:
12/02/2012 04:59:03 PM MST

Wyoming's Leonard Washington leaps to block the shot of Colorado's Andre Roberson (21) from behind in the first half of a game at the Arena-Auditorium in Laramie, Wyo. on Saturday night, December 1, 2012. (Kyle Grantham, Star-Tribune) (Kyle Grantham)

No. 19 Colorado suffered its first loss of the season, a 76-69 defeat to unbeaten Wyoming on Saturday night at the Arena-Auditorium.

A little over a year ago, the Rams of Colorado State -- who visit the Coors Events Center on Wednesday -- celebrated with their classmates on the floor at Moby Arena after a 65-64 win over an unranked CU squad.

"We've lost a little bit of our hunger maybe. I don't know. We'll find out Wednesday night," a disappointed Boyle said after CU gave up 14 layups, turned the ball over 17 times, and allowed Wyoming to shoot 51.9 percent in the second half.

"We've got three days to prepare, three days to get better, three days to get tougher. And we're going to do it."

Leonard Washington, a 6-7 senior who transferred from USC, was tough on the Buffs for the second consecutive year. He filled up the stat sheet with 22 points on 9-for-17 shooting, as well as seven rebounds, four assists, three blocks, two steals and no turnovers in 37 minutes.

"We didn't play defense. Plain and simple," said Spencer Dinwiddie, who led CU with 24 points. "(Washington) had a hell of game. We just have to play defense, honestly."

The home team was whistled for 13 fouls compared to 27 for the visitors.

"I'm not going to blame the refs, but they definitely didn't help," Dinwiddie said.

Dinwiddie and Roberson (16 points, 12 rebounds) were a combined 14-for-23 from the field. The rest of the team made only 10 of 35 shots.

Askia Booker missed 11 of his first 12 shots and finished with six points.

"Ski does not handle adversity well," Boyle said. "Askia Booker has to get better when his jump shot is not going in and when the officials aren't bailing him out."

Wyoming freshman guard Josh Adams, who played 31 minutes after former Boulder High School star Riley Grabau (no points, nine minutes) was unable to continue with a sore knee, had 12 points and was 3-for-6 behind the arc.

The Cowboys (8-0) outscored the Buffs (6-1) 30-24 in the paint and 20-6 off turnovers.

"Down the stretch, we just made some dumb plays and they capitalized on that," said Scott, who had six points and two rebounds in only 20 minutes of floor time. "They capitalized on our weaknesses."

CU has not defeated Wyoming since an 84-68 win in Laramie on Dec. 10, 1996. The Cowboys have won the last six meetings and snapped the Buffs' 25-game home winning streak against non-conference opponents last December.

When Nathan Sobey scored to make the score 38-34 in favor of the Cowboys with 14:21 remaining, it was the first time either team had led by more than one possession (three points).

Dinwiddie sliced the deficit to 45-42 with his fifth made 3-pointer with 11:11 left.

But counterpart Derrious Gilmore (12 points) made a 3-pointer to give Wyoming a 51-42 lead that forced Boyle to call a timeout to regroup the visitors.

Gilmore added a desperation deep ball as the shot clock expired with two sets of hands in his face to make the score 54-46.

After Washington repeated the feat with another 35-second clock buzzer-beater from somewhere near Cheyenne, Dinwiddie took the ball through the teeth of the Wyoming defense for a dunk to pull the Buffs within 58-52.

Roberson was called for a charge, the fourth Washington was able to draw on the evening, moments later found Luke Martinez on a full-court pass for an easy bucket to extend the lead back to nine.

At that point the crowd of 8,240, the largest in Laramie since 2005, sensed that it was Wyoming's night.

"The crowd doesn't change the way the opposing team plays defense," Dinwiddie noted.

The Cowboys made 21 free throws while the Buffs attempted 15.

CU, despite having Roberson and Scott in early foul trouble with two each, led 28-26 at halftime.

There were eight lead changes and seven ties before the intermission.

The Buffs will look to bounce back and exact some revenge on the Rams on Wednesday at the Coors Events Center (8:30 p.m., Pac-12 Network).

"Colorado State will obliterate us on Wednesday if we don't figure out what we've got to figure out," Boyle said.

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